West Slope under red flag warning

By {screen_name}
Saturday, June 16, 2012

The Western Slope of Colorado, including the Grand Valley, is under another red flag warning this weekend, as a prolonged stretch of hot, dry and windy weather is creating dangerous fire conditions.

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction says the red flag warning will be in effect from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, while a fire weather watch will be in effect Monday afternoon and evening. Forecasters are calling for winds out of the west at 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph.

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions either are occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential, according to the Weather Service.

A fire weather watch means critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur.

“Fire ignitions will be difficult to control, with very high rates of spread expected into the early evening hours Sunday and possibly again on Monday,” the Weather Service’s website reads.

Grand Junction’s high temperature is expected to reach 94 degrees today before climbing into the upper 90s Sunday through Tuesday.